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Passwords Inherently Inadequate
SecurityProNews
Staff Writer
2004-09-30
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With mounting cyber threats, including online identity theft, the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) will today kick-off a month-long initiative to educate consumers and businesses alike on how to improve their cyber security posture during October's National Cyber Security Awareness Month.
Concentrating on home users, small businesses and education community audiences, the public awareness campaign focuses on empowering Americans to improve their computer security by providing practical tips and resources. RSA Security strongly supports this important effort to empower home and small business users to combat online security threats.
As part of National Cyber Security Awareness Month, RSA Security is committed to helping individuals and businesses realize that passwords are inherently inadequate to protect sensitive information, and stronger, more reliable forms of authentication and identity protection are available to simplify a safe, online user experience. "Strong authentication" adds an extra layer of information security by combining something the user knows (i.e. a secret PIN) with something the user possesses (i.e. a unique RSA SecurID token that generates a random, one-time password every 60 seconds).
RSA Security's emphasis on consumer identity protection and its strategic partnerships with consumer internet service providers (ISP) and other online destinations will help consumers establish trust in the online marketplace. Earlier this month, RSA Security and American Online, Inc. announced the launch of AOL PassCode, a new premium service that offers AOL members a second level of account protection through the use of RSA Security's two-factor authentication. And in October 2004, RSA Security will begin shipping the RSA SecurID for Microsoft Windows solution, allowing Microsoft enterprise customers to secure valuable desktop and network resources with strong authentication rather than the traditional user name and password.
These new initiatives are a result of the Company's historically strong commitment to bring useful security solutions to users with the hope of re- establishing lost confidence in the Internet.
"As a veteran of the cyber security arena, RSA Security has long been committed to furthering awareness of cyber security -- for home users and businesses -- to protect against online identity theft," said Shannon Kellogg, Board Member and Treasurer of NCSA, and Director of Corporate Government Affairs at RSA Security. "Mistrust in the Internet only increases as each unexpected worm or virus, phishing scam or other cyber threat emerges to find it next group of victims. National Cyber Security Awareness Month is an important forum to educate the public on these threats and demonstrate how Internet users can empower themselves to beat the cyber criminals by practicing better security at home and in the office."
In joining government agencies, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, consumer advocacy groups, and businesses of all sizes, RSA Security continues to be a proud supporter of the NCSA and National Cyber Security Awareness Month. The National Cyber Security Alliance is a not-for- profit, public-private partnership focused on driving awareness and education.
About the Author:
SecurityProNews is a daily online and email publication focusing on internet security issues.
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